Just about to start studying for a mid-semester exam and dug up these tips from when time management was critical. Here is my time management techniques and tips for exam study. It helps me learn, but is a constantly evolving system. The human mind craves changes, so changing your system should be part of your system!

Please be sure to share your study techniques, and comment on how this system goes for you.

Before you start spend a little bit of time getting phyced about how you will feel when you finish, and what you will have achieved and will do then.

See if you can get someone (usually family) to sponsor you, better rewards for better marks.

Divide allocated study block between subjects. Divide available time based on:
1. Load of subject, i.e. 1/2 load of full load subject
2. Weighting of exam to overall subject worth.
3. Personal perceived difficulty

Make up study roster in Excel.

- Three 40min session for Subject 1, then Three 40min sessions for subject 2.
- Separate study sessions by 30min gaps
- Use a timer that pops up on the screen when finished.
- Reward yourself after each study session… chocolate or something.
- Also have some dried fruit and nuts around so if you get peckish you don’t have to get up and break the session.

Every time you finish a session / half day (3 sessions for subject per day) then highlight the cell as green in Excel.

For Each Subject:

1. Outline the structure and weighting of the exam. Also useful to list types of questions.
2. In the first couple of sessions for each subject spend time prioritising the subject matter as it is likely to appear on the exam.

Have three columns: Priority, Weighting & Topic (Subtopics should be indented under Topic)

1. In the topic fill out the Topics / Subtopics from the past exam.
2. Leave a couple of rows, then list the Topics from the course outline.
3. Fill in the priority section. Start of with something your interested as the first priority, as long as it is likely to be on the exam. Then prioritise the rest based on:
- number of times in past exams
- number of times talked about in lecures
- how much time was spent on the topics in lectures
4. Sort based on topics based on priority
5. Select Topics Row (& Subtopics) copy, go to word and from the edit menu Paste Special>Unformatted Text.
6. Using the styles give Topics as Heading 1, subtopics a Heading 2, etc…
7. Insert a Table of Contents based on Styles
8. Start filling in the blanks. - I find it useful to take screenshots of relevant pictures in the lecture notes, and paste them in the document. Try not to copy and paste from the lecture notes. Take the time to rewrite in your own words the key points. It’s often possible to condense the lecture notes considerably.
9. Print and reread.

Don’t stress if you only finish the lecture notes a day or two before, you have been learning as you make them.

Go back over the past exams and check you didn’t miss anything, and that all the answers come to you,

Chill Out, watch a movie, get laid…. and do more than PASS.

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Posted on September 15th, 2008 :: Filed under Education
Tags :: exam, learning, study, time management, tips

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